How to set up VNC for multiuser operation?

[DV]

Hello group,

maybe this is something that is asked very often, but after fiddling
around for a long time and not achieving something, I figured, I might
ask anyway.

What I would like to do is to have one computer act as a WinVNC-server
and "log in" from several other clients at once to do stuff on this
server.
These other clients would each need their own "session" or "desktop"
and mustn´t disturb other clients connected at the same time.

Is this possible with VNC? Judging from the documentation, this should
be possible:

""<CITE>ConnectPriority
By default, all WinVNC servers will disconnect any existing
connections when an incoming, non-shared connection is authenticated.
This behaviour is undesirable when the server machine is being used as
a shared workstation by several users or when remoting a single
display to multiple clients for vewing, as in a classroom situation.
</CITE>""

If it is possible: How to do it with VNC?
I tried the following to no avail:
* Trying to start VNC server several times, in order to "know in
advance" different display numbers to use with the clients
* Trying to "add a client" (menu function of the server tray-icon;
IP=IP of a client), but all I got was "No VNC-Viewer in listen mode).
What does "adding a client" mean? How do I run a viewer in
listen-mode?

If not: Is there a free or cheap (not Terminal Server stuff, or
expensive Citrix a.s.o) solution for concurrent, simultaneous work for
several users on one Windows box where each user has its own desktop?
NX maybe?

I would appreciate any input on this.
Many thanks in advance,
Cheers,
FK.

 

[Chris Dugan]

VNC is just a remote control program, it allows sharing of the desktop and
controls to a remote machine (you can have more than one machine taking over
the controls at once and consequently sharing the desktop - useful for
training purposes) but not independent sessions which is what I think you
are asking for.

The only way to get what you want is to use a terminal server of some kind
or if this is a single application could you not web enable it? That would
give you mutiple sessions on one server in the cheapest way that I can
imagine but it would depend on what the remote users need to be able to do
and wether or not the program can be converted. If that is not possible then
unix is probably the only option available for you and that will probably
also require rework of the application.

Chris